This weekend is the annual border war in Knoxville with Tennessee. Tennessee has already been to Lexington and fell. This game has the added value of seedings for the upcoming SEC tournament, as well as the regular season finally for both teams.
Since I can remember the sight of Tennessee orange has almost made me sick. When I was a small boy the thought of Ray Mears taunting Kentucky fans, his players flaunting their circus like act of orange and white basketball, being spun while riding unicycles, was more then my young mind could process. So, a great dislike for all things Tennessee basketball was a natural progression. I still remember a t-shirt my little sister wore proclaiming " I'm for Kentucky and whoever is playing Tennessee."
Still it can't be denied that Tennessee is our oldest rival and you must appreciate the history that has lived among these two great fan bases. Even that despicable song Rocky Top was first introduced to the world by a Kentucky group, the Osbornes. If I had to pick one song that I would never want to hear again it would be that one.
Louisville to some extent has surpassed Tennessee as the most hated rival of most Kentucky fans. Florida is probably the fiercest rival for most fans, among the SEC. My partner on the Sports Huddle on ESPN Sports Radio 1300, Chris Cross, hates Billy Donovan and Florida passionately. But, for us older fans I think it will always be Tennessee. To a great extent we have Bruce Pearl to thank for that. Not only did he take up the orange jacket of Ray Mears, he also flaunts the Kentucky fans, and even comes in to our state and steals some pretty good basketball talent.
So, with the Big Orange of Tennessee looming on the horizon, I just felt I had to get this off my chest. These things are what makes basketball so much fun for me, and in way, thank goodness for Tennessee!
Oh, I forgot to tell you. I don't like that dog, either.
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